European Parliament calls on EU Member States to join ICAO in supporting spectrum protection for satellite-based ADS-B

Aireon LLC applauds the European Parliament for adopting a resolution to enhance aviation safety and efficiency through global flight tracking systems. The resolution supports the assignment of primary radio spectrum allocation for satellite-based Automatic Dependent Surveillance-Broadcast (ADS-B). European Parliament’s Commissioner for Transport, Violeta Bulc, called on all EU member states to welcome this resolution in order to ensure the objective of global flight tracking is supported in negotiations during the upcoming World Radiocommunications Conference (WRC).

Space-based ADS-B will allow for real-time air traffic monitoring, and provide performance-based enhancements in safety and efficiency, consistent with the International Civil Aviation Organization’s (ICAO) objectives.

“We are very pleased that the resolution was adopted with overwhelming support from the plenary. It now stands as an official position of the European Parliament and demonstrates broad support for this action,” said Roberta Neri, chief executive officer, ENAV. “A primary spectrum allocation will ensure that the world’s aviation community has access to the next-generation air traffic surveillance capability of space-based ADS-B to improve global safety and efficiency. It is imperative that we make safety a priority and it is encouraging that Parliament has made this critical issue a key objective during the WRC.”

“The Aireon Partners are pleased with the support and commitment from the European Parliament to improve air traffic safety, as stated in the resolution. We see this as a strong endorsement of the need to improve global flight safety and efficiency using investments that are already being made by the airlines,” said Eamonn Brennan, chief executive officer, Irish Aviation Authority (IAA).

Members of the European Parliament across the political spectrum were universally supportive of the resolution, including the Chairman of the Transport Committee, Michael Cramer (Green Party, Germany), Marian-Jean Marinescu (PPE, Romania) and Lucy Anderson (S&D, UK) who detailed the importance of a having a global solution given the geographical limitations of existing flight tracking systems and ensuring the ability to help aircraft navigate difficult weather conditions in ways that are challenging with current technology.

“The European Parliament has set the standard in supporting this action and as the Air Navigation Service Provider in Canada, we fully support this initiative from the other side of the Atlantic,” said John Crichton, president and chief executive officer, NAV CANADA. “Primary spectrum allocation for space-based global flight tracking is putting safety first. It is our primary goal and main objective in maintaining our airspace.”